Electric field measurements in the stratosphere

Abstract The electric field in the atmosphere from ground up to 90.000 ft was measured during a series of twenty balloon flights made in 1955 and 1956. The tests indicate that the electric field in the atmosphere, above the exchange layer, decreases monotonically with height up to the maximum height at which measurements were made. The measured values of electric field agree very well with the values calculated from conductivity data and the assumption of an approximately constant air-earth current density.